The Decaying World

Without picking a flowery name, Lin Hui simply settled on the most basic designation for the array.

’Basic Protective Barrier: A complex, three-dimensional protective array jointly designed by dozens of mages based on requirements proposed by Lin Hui. Once deployed, its strength is at the Blood Progenitor level, capable of blocking hostile units up to the Blood Progenitor rank. Hostile units entering the array will be suppressed with a 20% penalty to their Cultivation. Allied units will receive a 20% enhancement to their Cultivation. Suppressing Cultivation will correspondingly adjust the power supply speed of the energy furnace.

Energy Furnace: Power Crystals, Inner Strength, True Power, Purified Blood, Void Power.

Available Evolution Branches: 4.’

Without hesitation, Lin Hui selected the Basic Protective Barrier and began to examine its evolution branches.

’1—Xuantian True Sight.’

’2—Ironclad Primordial Array.’

’3—Multi-Element Hybrid Protective Array.’

’4—Jiuxiao Thunderous Sound.’

Seeing the last, familiar-looking name, Lin Hui paused, then began to review the details for each one.

’Xuantian True Sight: The core protective array of the Xuantian Dao. It can greatly expand the spatial area of the array, using methods of stretching spatial volume and weakening the five senses, combined with a confusing, maze-like sub-array to trap any who enter.

Compared to the original array, this array provides only a slight increase in defensive strength.’

’Ironclad Primordial Array: The core array of the Ironclad Sect. It greatly reinforces the array’s external physical defenses, adding a fifteen-meter-thick layer of special high-strength cosmic alloy to the periphery. This defensive layer can automatically regenerate by consuming energy from the array’s core.

Compared to the original array, this array provides a massive increase in defensive strength.’

’Multi-Element Hybrid Protective Array: The masterpiece of the Elemental Emperor Domiler. It utilizes the principle of a nine-element, mixed, chained, ultra-particulate reaction. The array’s defensive strength is not high, but it possesses incredible energy efficiency. A standard energy furnace would only require a core replacement once every three thousand years.

Compared to the original array, this array provides a slight increase in defensive strength.’

’Jiuxiao Thunderous Sound: The core array of the Jiuxiao Sect. It uses wind to command wind, allowing it to draw a ceaseless supply of energy from the Wind Calamity to sustain itself. Internally, it can mitigate the Wind Calamity’s corrosive effect on Disciples and enhance their Cultivation Realm by half. Externally, it can utilize chaotic Disaster Energy to suppress hostile units over a wide area.

Due to the extremely high standing of the Wind Calamity, anyone of a lower standing will have their Cultivation suppressed by half, regardless of their Realm.

Wind and thunder move as one, clearing the source and calming the heart.

Compared to the original array, this array provides a major increase in defensive strength.’

Looking at these evolution paths, especially the last one...

Lin Hui fell silent.

He really didn’t want to choose this option for the array...

But he had no choice. This branch was just too perfect for the Clear Wind Dao.

’Infinite energy, a major increase in defensive strength, the strongest suppressive power, and it even reduces the corrosive effect of the Wind Calamity’s power on the sect’s Disciples. It also enhances their Cultivation Realm by half.’

’He didn’t know how "half a Cultivation Realm" was calculated, but no matter how he looked at it, the last option was clearly the best.’

But looking at the word "Jiuxiao"...

After a moment of silence, Lin Hui ultimately chose the last option.

’Required Resources: 210 years of reserved energy, 210 years of reserved Heart and Spirit.

Time Required: 260 years.

Confirm evolution to Jiuxiao Thunderous Sound?’

’Yes.’

Lin Hui confirmed it in his mind. Instantly, the script of the Blood Seal at the bottom of his vision began to refresh.

BOOM!!

Just then, a tremendous, thunderous tremor rumbled from the distant east, in the direction of the Crystal Sea.

With a flicker of thought, Lin Hui teleported in a flash, streaking toward the sound.

Black Cloud City was left behind in an instant. He shot across a vast expanse of the Jade Sea, and soon, the pure white Crystal Sea appeared before him.

The temperature climbed rapidly as well.

After entering the Crystal Sea, Lin Hui quickly shielded himself with the Wind of Surrounding. He pressed on for a few more seconds before slowing to a stop.

Hovering a hundred meters in the air, he looked down.

Amidst the white, salt-like waters of the Crystal Sea, a somewhat familiar figure in red was rising from the surface, single-handedly holding a golden, humanoid monster covered in long spines.

The area was dotted with huge craters from a recent explosion. The white seawater was still slowly flowing back, filling them in.

The air reeked of blood and something like burnt leather.

The figure in red looked up and saw Lin Hui. It was none other than Gongsun Xinlian.

"What are you doing here?" she asked in surprise.

"I heard the noise and came to check it out." Lin Hui scanned the surroundings. "What’s the situation?"

"Two of the Fog Spirit scions from the divine flock became corrupted. That’s something that almost never happened before. Their lifespans are far longer than ours; this shouldn’t be happening. This one escaped from the flock." Gongsun Xinlian gestured with the golden humanoid she was holding.

CRACK.

The next moment, the humanoid corpse crumbled to dust, dissipating into countless points of golden light that vanished.

"This is the second one I’ve killed in as many days... These corrupted Fog Spirits are different from the others... As soon as the night fog sets in, they reappear in the same spot the next day to cause more trouble. It’s impossible to truly kill them!" A trace of fatigue crossed Gongsun Xinlian’s face.

"Has Big Brother Xie not returned? Did the message get through?" Lin Hui frowned.

"It did, but there’s been no reply. I suspect the war has already started and he’s been delayed." Gongsun Xinlian nodded.

"We should start pulling back our defenses. In this situation... if the Haiming Fissure causes more trouble..." Lin Hui trailed off.

Corrupted Fog Spirits, anomalous disasters, increasingly violent sea storms, orbs of freezing light, unkillable corrupted Fog Spirits, and the Haiming Fissure overhead that could erupt at any moment.

The situation had clearly become extremely perilous.

Lin Hui glanced around and saw the drifting wreckage of a ship in the distance. Clearly, this area had been attacked, and a distress call had brought Gongsun Xinlian, who finally managed to exterminate the threat.

"Let’s go back..." Gongsun Xinlian said softly.

Neither of them was in the mood for small talk. Most of the shipping lanes around Black Cloud City had been severed. The Blood Progenitors were leading their armies, concentrating all their power on maintaining the few remaining vital routes.

But that couldn’t last for long.

The number of Sea Beasts in the surrounding waters was also increasing dramatically. They were undergoing more mutations and enhancements, causing many salvaging fleets of Martial Artists and Summoners to suffer losses. With such widespread mutations, the average small or medium-sized fishing fleet couldn’t survive and was forced to merge with larger fleet organizations.

Returning to Black Cloud City, Lin Hui didn’t go back to the Daoist academy this time, but went straight to Qingfei Mountain.

The Clear Wind Daoist Academy and the Lin Mansion had both been moved up the mountain, into a newly constructed grand estate.

Gongsun Xinlian accompanied him, entering a section of the Clear Wind Daoist Academy that was decorated identically to the original.

The two of them sat cross-legged in the study. Li Yuanyuan quickly served tea and refreshments, then bowed and withdrew.

Beside them, calming incense was lit, sending up a straight, grayish-white plume of smoke.

Gongsun Xinlian looked at the man before her. Eight years. For Fog People, it was but the blink of an eye—a brief and tedious moment.

But for this man... the profound aura she had once been able to sense so clearly was now completely gone.

He seemed like a mortal, yet his appearance was jarringly perfect, possessing a flawless proportionality that no mortal should have.

Perfect features, a perfect physique... she had only ever sensed this strange kind of perfection from the Clear Wind Dao’s Perfect Clear Wind Sword.

"These past few years," Gongsun Xinlian said softly, "if I hadn’t received the three Dharma Seals you bestowed, I doubt I would have been strong enough to handle all this frequent trouble."

"You’re a member of my Clear Wind Dao as well. There’s no need for such formalities," Lin Hui said with a smile. Looking at her, he knew perfectly well that she hadn’t come all this way during such a hectic time just for a friendly chat.

So he waited for her to get to the point.

"With Big Brother away, Second Brother and I are left to deal with this massive problem on our own, and frankly, we’re exhausted. So, after much discussion, we’ve decided to move all the Outer City People into the Inner City. What do you think?" Gongsun Xinlian said gravely.

"What about the radiation? Can the Outer City People handle it?" Lin Hui frowned.

"It’s better than dying out there to Sea Beasts and the Sea Roar Power that could erupt at any moment. We’ve already bought half a year to delay the spread of the Sea Roar Power’s corruption. The Inner City can also use the floating mountains and the Moon Tower to jointly activate an isolation array. That array can be powered indefinitely by True Power and Void Power. As long as we have Circulation and Upper-Rank Summoning practitioners, collective power supply won’t be an issue." Gongsun Xinlian had clearly thought everything through.

Lin Hui was silent.

It was an incredibly difficult choice.

He could imagine that many people would be unwilling to move into the Inner City.

’But the problem is, once they move, the defenses of the Outer City will have to be largely abandoned...’

’Those who stay behind will die. Those who enter the city will die later... The Outer City itself has a population in the tens of millions, surrounding Black Cloud City.’

After a long pause, Lin Hui finally spoke. "Pulling back the defenses is the right move. I support it."

"With your support, we can rest a little easier." Gongsun Xinlian forced a slight smile.

The three of them had worked hard for so many years to build this foundation, and now they were being forced to abandon tens of millions of people... The inevitable result would be a surge of corruption within the Inner City.

Without such a large population base, the numbers of Martial Artists and Summoners in the Inner City would inevitably and drastically decline.

"I should get back..." Gongsun Xinlian rose to her feet but didn’t immediately teleport away.

She walked slowly to the courtyard gate and stopped.

"Lin Hui... For some reason... I have a bad feeling..."

"Are you worried about your brother?" Lin Hui asked.

"It’s more than that..." Gongsun Xinlian looked up, her gaze passing through the array’s barrier to the massive Haiming Fissure that stretched across the sky of Black Cloud City.

"We’ve faced invasions from other corrupting forces before, but none have been this dangerous... The three of us have lived for nearly ten thousand years... At least we have you here to help hold the city. But what about the other cities? They’re nowhere near as powerful as Black Cloud City. Five cities have already been breached, their City Lords perishing along with them..."

"Even the City Lords...?" Lin Hui frowned.

"Yes. It seems the Haiming Fissure possesses a power that specifically negates the infinite regeneration of the Fog People." Gongsun Xinlian turned her head to look at Lin Hui.

"Daoist Master."

Her form of address suddenly changed.

"If—and I’m just saying, if—I were to die... the position of Black Cloud City Lord..."

"I won’t accept," Lin Hui cut her off.

He raised his head, looking her directly in the eyes.

"I only want to protect the people around me: my family, my friends, my loved ones. I don’t care about anything else, nor do I want to."

He was well aware of his own limits, just as he was well aware of what she was implying.

Black Cloud City was their life’s work. They had lived for too long; if something happened to them, and too many mortals died as a result, all of their blood kin, family, and friends would be caught in the backlash, beginning to corrupt and be destroyed.

He could understand her reasoning, but understanding was one thing. He could help, but he was unwilling to shoulder their burden.

He, too, had his own people to protect.

".....I understand." After a moment of silence, Gongsun Xinlian’s form slowly dissipated, and she was gone.

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